Chapter 5

• 【Jason POV】
• “Welcome back, Alpha!”
• A luxury car pulled up by the roadside. Twenty elite werewolves stood in perfect formation, bowing to greet my return.
• “Alright, everyone up! Joining the Phantom Pack means you’re family. Brothers don’t look down on each other.”
• I waved my hand and stepped forward, giving Lester a big bear hug.
• He was a high-ranking beta and one of the few brothers I trusted completely. He had gotten out of prison two years ago, and with my secret support, he built the Phantom Pack from nothing.
• “Looks like you’ve done a damn good job. I appreciate the hard work.”
• I patted Lester on the shoulder.
• “No sweat. The guys pulled together because of your alpha charisma. We’re tight, and everything runs smooth.”
• Lester opened the car door for me and began updating me on the Phantom Pack’s current status. “We have more than twenty core members now and hundreds more on the outskirts. We control about a quarter of Nuremberg’s smuggling business.”
• “Nice, nice.”
• Hearing how much influence the Phantom Pack had gained, almost reaching the level of a solid mid-tier pack, I felt a rush of relief. This would make everything I planned from now on a lot easier.
• I didn’t forget to remind Lester, “Keep it low-key next time. No need for big shows.”
• Master X had warned me many times. The royal family of the Voss Empire had a twisted obsession with power. If they ever discovered my pure alpha bloodline, it would be a disaster. To protect me, he trained me to control my pheromones and to alter my wolf form when shifting so I could disguise myself.
• That was why I ran the Phantom Pack from the shadows. Whether I was using the Healing Wolf’s power to help the wealthy or leading the pack, I always wore a mask. I used the alias Poison. Most of the time I appeared as an omega. If I absolutely needed to show strength, I fought as a regular beta who had fixed the wolf’s flaws and regained beta-level power.
• Only a small handful of people knew who I really was. As long as I did not reveal the extreme power and special abilities I possessed as Jason, I stayed off the radar.
• “Bet this is what you’re most worried about right now.”
• Lester handed me a file.
• It contained news about Lucia.
• I flipped it open immediately.
• More than a month after I went to prison, Lucia had finally woken up.
• Her injuries had been devastating. The severe aftereffects had knocked her down from beta to omega.
• She once tried to clear my name, but Helena and her group of noble werewolves crushed her completely. Our whole family had been pushed to the brink of extinction.
• I clenched my jaw tight, my hand trembling as I gripped the pages.
• It was heartbreak mixed with pure rage.
• “So, what are Helena and her pack doing now?”
• “They’re doing great,” Lester said. “Storm Pack has grown into one of the empire’s top-tier packs. Helena married the alpha heir of a super powerful pack ranked in the empire’s top ten. They even have a kid now.”
• “Good.”
• My voice turned ice cold. “The happier they get, the deeper the pain they’re going to feel next.”
• I kept flipping through Lucia’s updates.
• After our family took that brutal hit, Lucia’s mother couldn’t handle the pressure. She cut ties with Lucia’s father and later remarried the alpha of Frostmoon Pack, becoming their luna. That gave Lucia a quiet and peaceful life for a while.
• But Helena and her crew didn’t stop. And more trouble followed.
• Ironfang Pack became their muscle.
• My brother Mark was leading the charge.
• “Mark?.”
• A low growl slipped out before I could stop it.
• “That Mark? Your brother?” Lester asked.
• “Yeah.”
• “After you went to prison, Ironfang Pack and your family received massive support from Storm Pack’s resources. Mark rose to become Ironfang’s chief beta. He led the takeover of Frostmoon Pack. Tomorrow night…”
• He hesitated, then continued, “After the wedding, Frostmoon Pack will officially merge into Ironfang Pack. Since Ironfang’s alpha has no heir, the elders will most likely choose Mark as the next alpha. He’s about to make a huge jump in rank.”
• Hearing all these, rage bubbled inside me like molten lava ready to burst.
• I took a deep breath and forced myself to stay calm.
• “I want you to dig into three things. And do it fast.”
• I told Lester, “First, since Lucia tried to clear my name, she must have tried to reach me or visit me. Why the hell did I never hear about it?”
• “Second, what exactly did Mark do to force Lucia into marrying him?”
• “Third, how did Ironfang Pack’s alpha’s kid die so mysteriously? I’m willing to bet Mark had a hand in it to push his own agenda.”
• I exhaled hard. “Now, take me to see Lucia. I need to know if my girl is still safe.”